Typically, electronic devices, such as semiconductor chips are attached or mounted to various structures to facilitate their installation in a machine, such as a computer. For example, a chip may be mounted on a lead frame, chip support, or other such structure that may ultimately be interconnected with a circuit board or circuit card. A part of the packaging often includes a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by operation of the chip or other semiconductor device.
As chip density and speed of integrated circuit chips increases, chips often require high performance surface mount packages assembled very close to each other on circuit cards. These packages dissipate heat and, since they are packed very close to each other, they become hot. One of the most commonly used methods of cooling package is to attach heat sinks to the packages.